Is it bad to skip breakfast?

Having breakfast is said to be better for your metabolism and health, and skipping it significantly increases the risk of overweight. Well, at least that's what people often claim :) Whether this is really true, we've looked into it for you, and you can read about it in this article.

The Breakfast Myth

Research has shown that people who have breakfast every day tend to be leaner and healthier than those who don't. Based on this, you could argue that if you have breakfast every day, you're less likely to gain weight.

However, while it's been shown that it might be better to have breakfast daily, there's no proof that it's causally better.

These are observational studies that indicate a correlation, but no study has actually demonstrated a direct cause-effect relationship between skipping breakfast and overweight.

The fact that breakfast eaters are slimmer and have less overweight isn't because they have breakfast daily, but because they generally lead a healthier lifestyle and have better habits than those who regularly skip their breakfast and start their mornings, for example, with a coffee and a cigarette.

Why it doesn't matter whether you eat breakfast or not

Your body uses energy throughout the day. This energy can come from a meal you just had (like your breakfast) or from stored energy from a previous meal (for example, your dinner from the night before). Therefore, it's not necessary to have breakfast because your body essentially always has enough energy.

To gain or lose weight, your body needs to receive more or less energy than it expends. This is called the 'energy balance' and is determined by your total energy intake per day/week.

How often you eat or when you eat (whether you have breakfast or not) doesn’t matter in this regard. What ultimately matters is your total calorie intake.

If your body receives more energy over a whole day (or longer period) than it expends, you will gain weight. It's as simple as that.

Why you should have breakfast

There are people who feel very hungry in the morning and need energy. Having a good breakfast daily provides that energy, maintains regularity, and can especially prevent you from reaching for 'wrong (high-calorie) things' later in the day.

Do you always feel hungry in the morning or notice that you get more cravings during the morning? Then, it might be better for you to start your day with a hearty breakfast. However, if you don't feel hungry at all, it's not a problem to delay your breakfast and eat at a later time.

Conclusion

Having breakfast is less important than many people think. The idea that you should start every day with a good breakfast is partly a myth.

Whether or not you have breakfast doesn't matter much for your health, and one isn't better or worse than the other.

For many people, having a good breakfast in the morning is beneficial, but you won't automatically gain weight if you skip it. You don’t really need to 'rev up' your engine in the morning to function.

Whether you have breakfast or not, just like how often you eat, entirely depends on your goals and personal preferences.

Listen to your body. If you're hungry in the morning and enjoy having breakfast, go for it. However, if you can't stomach anything after waking up, you don't have to force yourself to eat breakfast reluctantly.